Photographic plate holder



June 11, 1940. s. s. LEvlN PHOTOGRAPHIC PLATE HOLDER Filed lay 24, 1958INVENTOR Patented June 11, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

This invention relates to photography and more particularly to holdersin which light-sensitive, cut films may be exposed in a camera.

Holders of the general nature of my present invention have been somewhatunsatisfactory. They are commonly manufactured from wood or from woodfaced or reinforced with metal, but both types have a relatively shorteffective life in that they are easily broken, they warp out of shapeand are affected by weather conditions, drying out in dry climates andswelling in humid climates. In some few cases these holders have beenmade from sheet metal, but these have never been satisfactory eventhough they are resistant to climatic changes.

In many prior art holders no effective means is provided for insertingand removing the cut lm conveniently and easily without damage to suchlm. In many cases it has been necessary to bend or distort the film inorder to insert it in the holder. In at least one instance the holderhas been provided with one or more hinged sections to facilitateinsertion and removal of the cut film, but these have been of weak orinadequate construction insofar as the hinge is concerned, and thus havenot solved satisfactorily the problem of producing a good film holderhaving the desired qualities and characteristics.

One of the objects of my present invention is to produce a strong andrigid but light and inexpensive film holder which has new and usefulcharacteristics not shared by prior film holders.

Another object is to produce a film holder wherein the frame is providedwith hinged portions and wherein the hinges are as strong and durable asany other part of the holder.

A further object is to produce a holder having dark slides of suchnature that the photographer will always know whether a given film hasbeen exposed or not and wherein the dark slides are each formed from asingle piece of non-metallic material.

A still further object of the invention resides in the provision of aphotographic lm holder, the frame of which is composed of extrudedmetal, which can be sold at the same cost as wooden holders.

Other and further objects and advantages will be understood by thoseskilled in this art or will be apparent or pointed out hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawingwherein I have illustrated film holdersembodying my present invention and wherein like numerals designatecorresponding parts in the various views:

Figure l is a side elevational view of my new film holder with portionsthereof broken away to disclose parts of the underlying construction;

Fig. 2 is a view generally similar to Fig. 1 but wherein the dark slidenearest the observer has been removed to show how film is inserted inand removed from the holder;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on line III-III of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on line IV-IV of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlargedy scaleillustrating a modified form of hinge;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 of a further modified form of hinge;andI Fig. 7 is a view similar to Figs. 5 and 6 of another form of hingeforming a part of my present invention.

The holder of my invention has a metal frame I0 of generally rectangularconfiguration and composed of extruded metal. These extruded metal partsmay be made in any suitable manner and in any suitable number of pieceswhich are subsequently secured together in proper permanent relationshipby soldering, Welding, by the use of screws, or in any other known ordesired manner.

As will be noted from Fig. 4 in particular, the extruded metal frameworkis provided with a relatively large exterior peripheral groove Il andwith lateral or side grooves I2, thus minimizing the amount of metalnecessary to produce the holder, reducing the cost thereof and, at thesame time, resulting in the production of a holder which is light inweight without sacrificing strength, rigidity, or durability.

'Ihe frame l0 is provided on its inner periphery with a plurality ofspaced slots, three of which are shown in the drawing. There is acentral slot i3 in which is disposed a metal partition plate il whichdivides the holder centrally into two parts. As will be understoodfromFig. 3, the lower end of partition plate I4 rests in the tongue orspacer I5 slotted at l5 for such purpose and the upper end of thepartition plate rests in the body l1 at the upper part of the frame. Oneither side of the central slot i3 are the two slots numbered. IB andI9. These slots extend into the hinged sections designated as a whole at20 at the bottom of the holder and along body portion I1 at the top ofthe holder and are dapted for the insertion and' removal of dark slides2| which are preferably composed of hard rubber, molded to shape. Thesedark slides are each made in one piece contrary to prior practice inthis connection.

eacl^Y is provided with an 22 along one lateral sur- -ned. These darki8, i9 and c ou either ""'d :rulli parti. he nlm-receivg means is proeframe iB ofthe lecess or cut away cy ine numeral formed recesses a l ispositioned such as tab e fabric, partcula f bric, and such is indicatedb 25. Portions 2l of the frame itl lilserfise haie recesses in whichpile fabric is located as will be understood from the use or" the samenumerals 25 and 2E thereon.

As already stated, the enlarged head portions 2 of dark slides 2i areeach provided with a sinle lateral .Groove 23. Each such groove may bearked in a distinguishing manner such as by inting or staining it or astrip of contrasting material be placed in each such groove. I

may also use a. phosphorescent material in each groove such as a radiumpaint. The paint, being belou7 the surface of the head 22, is protectedagainst weer, chipping off, and the like. The dark slides are positionedin the holder in such manner that the film 28 within the cornpartments Zis unexposed the grooves face outwardly. By seeing the contrasting markthe photographer will immediately know that the nlm in that particularcompartment is unexposed and is ready for exposure. Since it isnecessary 'to remove each dark slide when it is desired to expose thenlm in a camera, the photographer will replace the slide in the reversemanner with the groove facing inwardly. Ihus he will, at a glance, knowthat when the groove or mark is not visible the film has been exposed,thus avoiding danger of double exposure and of wasted nlm.

Means is provided for holding the dark slides in place and this meansmay take the form of a suitable latch designated by the numeral 29, alatch being provided for each slide. These latches have a horizontalportion resting on top of the head of each slide so that when it isdesired to remove a slide it is only necessary to turn the latch so asto disengage the horizontal portion from the head 22. This preventsaccidental and undesired movement of the dark slides and thus avoidsinadvertent exposure or re-exposure of lilm. As shown, these latcheshave enlarged portions 3U disposed in under-cut recesses 3l formed inthe top of the metal frame portion Il. While I have illustrated a simpleand effective form of latch it is to be understood that I am notrestricted to the particular latch referred to as other forms may beused equally well provided they meet the conditions involved. Therecesses 3i may either communicate with a similarly shaped slot or thematerial around the recess may be sprung somewhat and then crimped toallow insertion of the latches.

As shown best in Figs. 2 and 3, the sides of the metal frame i areprovided with relatively thin ribs 3i which project inwardly a shortdistance from the frame and wlxich are sumciently spaced from centralpartition Il to permitl lm to be received thereunder. These ribs 3|extend from the under surface of the top portion Il o! the frame to apoint short of the transverse bot- 5 tom portion 32 ol' such frame andthe lower end of each such rib 3l is beveled or rounded as shown at 33so as to guide film into proper position without damaging such film. InFig. 2 `the crL film 28 is shown which has been nearly fully 10 r'ted,thus clearly illustrating the manner of inserting and removing film.

In order to insert and remove film without unduly bending, distorting,or otherwise damaging the nlm, I provide the lower transverse frame l5portion 32 with the hinged sections specifically marked 32. Each suchhinged section has the slot i8 above referred to for receiving the lowerend of the dark slide 2| and, in general, is complementary to the tongueportion l5 which has a 20 more or less T-shaped configuration as shownin Fig. 3. In the form shown in Fig. 3, each hinged section is providedwith a recess 3l which receives the adjacent portion 35 ci the generallyT-shaped tongue portion I5. Below such recess 2 the hinged section has athin cross-section and abuts the shank of the tongue. Below such, eachhinged section flares outwardly to produce a transversely extendingrod-like extremity` 3i which fits into a circular transversely extending30 channel 31 formed in the frame portion 32 ln such manner that eachhinged section can be partially swung hinge fashion into the dotted lineposition shown in Fig. 3 without causing disengagement of the partswhich are thus perma- 35 nently associated since the diameter of eachrodlike portion is greater than the effective opening of the saidcircular groove.

Thus, in utilizing a nlm holder such as I have described, either darkslide, after being unlatched, is withdrawn from the holder, theappropriate hinged section ls swung outwardly as far as it will go, nlmls inserted or removed, and then the dark slide repositioned, care beingtaken as above pointed out to have the groove 23 of each dark slide inthe appropriate pooition depending upon whether fllm has been exposed ornot. When each dark slide is ln place the hinged section receiving it islocked in position. Conversely, removal of the dark slide unlocks thehinge section and enables it to be opened.

In Figs, 5, 6, and 7 I have illustrated modifications of the hingedsections and in these modlflcations it will be noted that it is possibleto swing the hinge sections outwardly somewhat further than inconnection with Fig. 3. While in the form shown in Fig. 3, the hingedsections can ordinarily be swung through an arc of at least about inFigs. 5, 6, and 7 the modlned 60 hinge sections are capable of beingthrough an arc of about 90-110, thus expedlting the insertion andremoval of nlm to a corresponding extent and presenting structuraladvantages as will be understood.

In Fig. 5 the central or tongue-like portion lla of the frame has theconguration therein illustrated which ls characterized by havingexternal shoulders ISa' and a slot Ia for the reception of a partitionplate as above referred to. The hinged sections 32a are shaped so as tointert with the shoulders lia' and are provided with the slots Ita, ISafor the reception of the dark slides. The rod-like extremities 36a ofthe hinged sections lie and operate within the reu cesses or spaces 31awhich extend across the bottom portion of the frame as will beunderstood from what has been explained above. The ends of 36a extendinto the frame beyond member 32. Hinges 36h are secured to members 32aas shown.

In Fig. 6 the tongue-like portion I5b tapers upwardly and in thenarrowest portion thereof a slot |65 is provided for the reception ofthe central partition plate as before. In the underside of tongue-likeportion |52), transversely extending circular grooves 31h are providedwhich are adapted to receive the rod-like extremities 36h of the hingedsections 32h, movement of the hinged sections being limited by theabutting of the faces 32h of the hinged sections with the faces I5b ofthe tongue-like portion. As before, each hinged section is provided witha slot lila, I9b for reception of the lower end of a dark slide.

In Fig. l the hinged sections 32o are provided with hook-shapedextremities 32e' which are adapted to operate in correspondingly shapedpassageways 31C formed in the tongue-like portion I5c. Each hingedsection has a dark slide receiving slot |80, lSc and the tongue sectionitself has a partition plate receiving slot lBc. It will be noted thatthe tongue-like portion has a. bulbous extremity |50' and that thehinged sections 32e have complementarily shaped recessed portions 32C"adapted to receive the extremity of the tongue-like portion.

'I'he foregoing is presented as illustrative rather than limitative andit is to be understood that within the purview of my invention I mayresort to various alterations, modifications, additions, or omissionswithout departing from the spirit and principle hereof. Rather theinvention is to be dened by the appended claims. While I have referredto extruded metal as being the material of which the frame or holder isformed, I prefer to use aluminum. Other light metals may be used wherethey meet the conditions involved.

While I have described my holder as made up of a number of extrudedaluminum pieces permanently secured together as by welding, soldering,and the like, I prefer to connect portions 21 tothe holder by screws,bolts, or the like (not shown) so that the light-sealing material may bereplaced when necessary. The use of such fasten-l ing instrumentalitieshas been indicated on the drawing by the numerals IB.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. A photographic film holder comprising a rectangular extruded aluminumframe and integral hinge provided with spaced grooves'in their innerperipheries, a partition plate xed in one of said grooves dividing theframe into two compartments, a dark slide in each of the other groovesprojecting beyond said holder and normally closing each suchcompartment, each dark slide being slidable in and out of said holderand each having an enlarged head portion with a transverse groovetherein on one side, means for normally preventing movement of said darkslides, means on said frame adjacent the dark slide grooves for holdingcut film in position for exposure, means for light-sealing the saidcompartments and means for enabling film to be inserted in and removedfrom each compartment, said last means having slots to receive the endsof the dark slides for locking the same in closed position when saiddark slides are engaged in said slots.

2. A photographic lm holder as set forth in claim 1 wherein thelast-named means has a relatively stationary central portion andswingable hinge-like outer portions having rod-andgroove connectionswith said central portion.

3. In a photographic lm holder, an extruded, rectangular aluminum framecharacterized by lightness, strength and resistance to warping, saidframe being composed of a number of individual extruded piecesintegrally secured together in permanent relationship.

4. In a photographic iilm holder, a bottom extruded metal frame piececomposed of a central tongue-like portion and a hinged section on eachside thereof, the hinged sections being substantially complementary tothe tongue-like section and being hingedly connected thereto throughouttheir transverse extent.

5. In a photographic nlm holder, a bottom extruded metal frame piececomposed of a central stationary portion and a hinged-section on eachside thereof, the hinged sections being substantially complementary tothe central portion and being provided with transverse terminalenlargements adapted to fit into and to have hinged action withcorresponding recesses in said central portions.

6. A photographic iilm holder as set forth in claim 5 wherein thecentral portion consists of a tapering tongue-like piece havingshouldersl against which the hinged sections abut when the hingedsections are swung through an arc of about 7. A photographic iilm holderas set forth in claim 5 wherein the central portion is an upwardlytapering tongue-like piece with a slot in its upper extremity andwherein the tonguelike piece and hinged sections are provided withcooperating shoulders which abut when the hinged sections are swung opento their maximum extent.

8. In a photographic iilm holder, an extruded aluminum frame providedwith an integral hinge of the same material, said hinge including acentrally disposed relatively stationary upwardly tapering tongue-likeportion having a longitudinally extending slot in its narrowest portionand spaced circular grooves in its underside, and a. pair of hingedsections one of which is disposed on each side of said tongue-likeportion and each of which has a rod-like extremity receivable within thecircular grooves aforesaid, the said tonguelike portion and hingedsections being structurally complementary and being provided withcooperating means to limit movement o! said hinged sections.

SAMUEL B. LIVIN.

